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Midland's train crash investigation goes to D.A.'s office

Catherine Stouffer, the wife of CWO 3 Gary Stouffer, cries and hugs her son, Shane, during a brief ceremony for a tree decorated in honor of Gary Stouffer at the beginning of the annual Festival of Trees in Jacksonville, N.C. on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012. Stouffer was one of four U.S. military veterans killed during a parade in Midland, Texas in November at the start of a weekend of festivities to honor veterans wounded in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. (AP Photo/The Daily News, Chuck Beckley)

The Midland Police Department said their investigation into the Nov. 15 fatal train wreck that killed four during a parade has been turned over to the district attorney’s office.

Midland police have not filed any charges against the driver of the truck that was struck by the train.

A report released by The National Transportation Safety Board last week said the train crash that claimed the life of four veterans was operated by a 35-year-old engineer and 27-year-old conductor but didn’t give the names of either one.

The train rolled across the track at 62 mph within the 70 mph track speed limit, the engineer saw the rig, sounded the locomotive horn, placed the brakes into an emergency application and traveled 4,143 feet before stopping, according to the report.

The right front corner of the locomotive unit struck the rig on the right rear, moving it about 30 feet to the south side of the crossing. The rig also hit a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria driven by a deputy for the Midland County Sheriff’s Office.

The four people killed in the Nov. 15 accident were Army Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34; Army Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Boivin, 47; Marine Chief Warrant Officer Gary Stouffer, 37 and Army Sgt. Maj. William Lubbers, 43.